do you think it is right to pay out money for a government grant?

Answer 1

If you apply for a LEGITIMATE government grant from Grants.gov - you will not be charged for any fees. But if you apply for a grant from any of these so called "grant companies" that require payment (often in thousands) before you can apply for the grant -- then that is one big SCAM

You may also want to read the warnings FTC has issued against these "grant" companies:

http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2004/03/grantresources.htm
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/alerts/alt134.htm

Here is also one of the warnings issued by the Better Business Bureau http://www.concord.bbb.org/tips_timesharescams.html

You can go to the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) http://www.cfda.gov and Grants.gov http://www.grants.gov - these are two FREE sites created by the federal government to provide transparency and information on grants. Browse through the listings and see if you can find any grant that would support your purposes.

Even if you buy books on "how to get grants" or list that supposedly has information on grants -- all of them are mere rehash of what CFDA has, albeit packaged differently.

Note though that these grants generally support non-profit organizations, intermediary lending institutions, and state and local governments. Most of the federal grants are given to specific target groups with specific requirements (e.g. minority business owners involved in transportation related contracts emanating from DOT - Grant#20.905 Disadvantaged Business Enterprises Short Term Lending Program. Individuals especially for personal purposes are not eligible for federal grants.

Grants are also often given to non profit groups or organizations involved in training or other similar activities (grant 59.043 Women's Business Ownership Assistance that are given to those who will create women's business center that will train women entrepreneurs

Answer 2

However, there are legitimate grant writers who will write the grant application for you, for a fee. But, before you hire them, make sure they're good. Good ones get about 1/3 of the applications approved.

Answer 3

No. You shouldn't have to pay money for a government grant. Sounds to me like it would be a fraud.

Answer 4

No, its called fraud! Grants are free.............. now paying for grant info, thats another thing, but buyer beware, your college of choice should have an extensive list of grants and scholarships........... mine does!